Sen. Carper Reacts to “New Jobs-Cleaner Air: Employment Effects under Planned Changes to EPA’s Air Pollution Rules” Report

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, released the following statement in reaction to the Ceres report, “New Jobs-Cleaner Air: Employment Effects under Planned Changes to EPA’s Air Pollution Rules:”

“This report affirms what I have been saying for years – working to achieve healthy air will result in a healthy economy.

“It’s clear that clean energy investments that will be made to meet the federal Clean Air Act and state regulations will not only save thousands of lives and save billions of dollars in health care costs, but will also create almost 300,000 jobs every year. Over five years, it is estimated that clean air regulations will create as many as one and a half million good paying jobs. In Delaware alone, over 6,000 jobs are expected to be created. These are American jobs in manufacturing, installing and operating modern pollution control technology and producing clean energy – jobs that come at a crucial time as our nation’s economy continues to recover and grow.

“For forty years, Clean Air Act regulations have provided up to $8 in economic benefits for every $1 spent on compliance. Since the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, electricity rates have stayed constant and national gross domestic product has grown by 60 percent. Over the last four decades, we’ve made great strides in reducing our nation’s air pollution. But more can be done, and more must be done if America wants to compete in this emerging global clean energy economy. Today’s report shows that cleaning up our air pollution not only saves lives, but also creates thousands of jobs.

“Delaware has led the way in making investments in clean energy and curbing air pollution, but up to 90 percent of our pollution comes from outside sources that we can’t control. As a result, we pay the steep economic and health costs of our upwind neighbor’s pollution. Today’s report shows that we cannot afford any more delays in implementing clean air regulations. I’m going to do everything in my power to work with the administration and my colleagues to protect the Clean Air Act and ensure our children have a clean air future.”